Collection: Chad Billingsley Solo Shot

What could have been.

By the time this card was released (2009) Dodgers fans were getting a small taste of what Billingsley would eventual regress towards.  He had been a very bright spot in the Dodgers rotation until then.  Chad was young and had compelling strike out numbers that made you thing a potential #1 pitcher was in our midst.  If only he could refine his approach, stop nibbling on the corners, and trust his stuff.  Often, he was a little wild and appeared to get rattled at the wrong time.  This would cause batters to get on base at an alarming rate.  Still, those instances could easily be waved away as moments of youth and inexperience.  Heck, worse comes to worse he would at least be a solid #2 pitcher in the rotation. 

Unfortunately, that appears to have come to pass.  By 2009 Billinglsey recorded his first season with an ERA above 4.00.  He won only one more game than he lost, and continued to allow batters to get on base.  Although he made an All-Star appearance that season, his final end-of-season totals don't scream All-Star.  Still, he was young and worth the risk.

Today, he is starting to look like a bust.  The same issues that hampered him in 2009 still exist today.  Am I totally negative on his future with the Dodgers.  Not entirely.  After all, Chad is still only 27 years old and could potentially rise to the occasion and prove his naysayers wrong.  Day by day, though that is starting to look unlikely.

Featured here is a 2009 Toops Unique Solo Shot autographed card of Chad Billingsley in my collection.

Kings Cards: Silver Anniversary Sheet

Way back in the day (the early 90's) these 8.5" x 11" card sheets were all the rage.  Upper Deck produced a boatload of them and collectors gobbled them up like they were made of gold.  How could you go wrong, right?  Heck, this sheet was limited to only 20,000 copies.  Now that's RARE!

Man-O-Live.  Those heady days of collecting always make me smile.  How naive were we?

I don't exactly remember how this particular sheet was distributed- maybe at a game?  Anyway, it's cool because it celebrates the 25th Silver Season Anniversary of the Los Angeles Kings, and features several current and soon-to-be Hall of Famers (Gretzky, Kurri and Blake).  And since the Kings are making a run for the CUP I'm gonna over-burden you with Kings cards and collectibles over the next week or so.  Don't say I didn't warn you.

Vintage PostCard Collection: The Hits of the Game

Here's another vintage comic postcard.  I've got a bunch of these kind of postcards.  They date to the 1910's and are very inexpensive.  You should never pay more than 5 bucks, or so.  Furthermore, it's always better to go after a large grouping of them in an auction for an even bigger discount.

I love the flirty innuendos, and they always give me a little chuckle.  Heck, sometimes they can get a little risque.  So much so, I often think that maybe folks weren't so wound up back then as I had been led to believe.

Legendary Auctions: A Couple of Dodgers Goodies

Vintage Baseball auctions never seem to stop.  I've been a little behind when it comes to writing about some of the more exciting Dodgers related offerings, but I plan on getting caught up over the next week or so.  With that said, check out a couple of great Dodgers items that were available through Legendary Auctions. 

Below is a circa 1907 Brooklyn Superbas team photo cabinet card.  As noted on the bottom right, it was taken in Jacksonville, Florida- likely during the Spring.  I love the miss-mash of uniform styles, the wooden stadium in the background and the bored looking kid waiting eagerly for that afternoons game to start. 

(Auction Link: 1907 Brooklyn Superbas)

Here is a player endorsed store model Baseball glove of Pee Wee Reese.   It was produced in 1940, and is very scarce.  Per the auction description:

We commonly regard Brooklyn shortstop Pee Wee Reese as a star of the post-war era, which he most certainly was. Pee Wee however hit the circuit in full stride in 1940. And though his early career was interrupted by a three-year military commitment, the community of National League baseball was in awe of this sensation from the start. Shortly into his rookie season, an obscure sporting goods concern, calling itself "Olympic," prevailed upon the phenom Reese to endorse one of their ball gloves.

(Auction Link: Pee Wee Reese Glove)

Below is the top of the original glove box that features a photo of Pee Wee Reese.

(Auction Link: Pee Wee Reese Glove)

Blog Kiosk/ Dodgers Links: 5/31/2012

The Dodgers just release a couple of preview photos of the Eric Karros bobblehead to be given out on June 28th against the Mets.  The likeness is amazing.

• As expected, Kemp is put back on the DL today.  Alex Castellanos has been called up from Albuquerque.  See the Dodgers press release, here. 

Castellanos, making his first appearance on a big league roster, will wear No. 49 and was hitting .379 with 10 doubles, four triples, five homers and 14 RBI in 22 games with Triple-A Albuquerque, while posting a .476 on-base percentage and a .759 slugging percentage. 

Chad Moriyama takes a closer look at Castellanos, here.

• Ken Gurnick at MLB.com takes a look at the upcoming draft for the Dodgers.

Assistant general manager and scouting director Logan White is excited about his first Draft for the new owners.

"It's a wonderful thing talking to Stan [Kasten, Dodgers president], and I'm unbelievably excited that he's a development-oriented person who wants us to be aggressive," said White. "I think where money will make an impact for us is internationally."

• Beyond the Boxscore calculates that a Dodger has been the most valuable hitter in Baseball, and it's not Kemp.  Instead, it's a certain unsung hero who much of the Dodger-blogoshere has been championing as an All-Star.  That's right, it's AJ Ellis.  Check out the story here.  On top of that, former Dodger prospect James McDonald is ranked as the most valuable pitcher so far this season.
• Tommy Lasorda shares the day he pitched 15 innings and probably threw 300 pitches.  He also includes an awesome vintage photo of him as a member of the Schenectady Blue Jays in the Canadian-American League. 
• Nick Diunte of the Examiner.com examines Ted Reed's book about Carl Furillo titled, "Carl Furillo: Brooklyn Dodger All Star."  I hadn't realized that Furillo was basically blacklisted from the game.
• MLB Trade Rumors passes along the gossip that the Dodgers are calling other teams for available position players.
• I kinda miss Chan Ho Park.  Fortunately, Big League Stew has a update; including a video of a commercial he did that sells insurance.  BTW, Park raps in the commercial.  It's awesome!  Check it out.
• Check out the Ice Girls of the 2012 Stanley Cup Finals, via Gunaxin. 
• The Upper Deck Blog shares a couple of redemption cards recently claimed that feature Kings overtime scorer Anze Kopitar and defenseman Drew Doughty.  Those are some great looking cards.  Unfortunately, I'm not a huge hockey card collector.  Who knows, though.  I might have to start.  Heck, with the Kings doing so well I think I'll have to share what I do have over the next coming weeks.
• Check out Baseball explained on a whiteboard by a Brit, below. I found it funny and somewhat confusing, but I'm not sure I could do any better.  (Hat Tip: Baseball Musings)

Video Link: